Some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) use cameras for object detection and navigation. These cameras typically have a fixed focal length and are often rugged, inexpensive, and able to capture quality images. However, use of fixed focal length cameras may not be ideal when a UAV experiences changes in flight, where greater granularity or a wider field of view may be useful.
Stereo camera pairs are used in computer vision to create a three-dimensional model of the surrounding environment. One requirement for such a system is for the cameras to be spaced apart from each other so that there is a measurable difference in the image seen by each camera, thereby allowing ranges in depth to be detected and quantified. The cameras also typically require a same optics for comparison of images. The relative position and orientation of the two cameras are typically rigidly maintained in order for stereo algorithms to work correctly.